Intel Opens Floodgates on Xeon-Related Products

Intel launched four Intel Xeon processors and three chipsets on Monday in what the company called its "largest enterprise processor product launch" since first delivering multiprocessor-capable chips in 1995.

All four new processors are Xeon DP, or dual-processing, chips. Intel launched new Xeon MP processors for four-way and larger systems two weeks ago. The new Xeon DPs are built on the 0.13-micron process. Each carries 512 KB of integrated cache, and they add support for a 533-MHz front-side bus. Speeds for the processors range from 2.8 GHz to 2 GHz with prices range from $455 down to $198 in 1,000-unit quantities.

One of the three new chipsets is for servers. The Intel E7501 chipset for two-way servers offers a performance bump with the new processors through the 533-MHz front-side bus. The Intel E7505 chipset, formerly code-named "Placer," is for two-way workstations running Intel Xeon processors. The Intel E7205 chipset, formerly code-named "Granite Bay," is for single Pentium 4 processor, entry level workstations. The workstation chipsets support USB 2.0 and AGP 8x for graphics-intensive applications.

Intel also introduced five new server platforms for white-box builders.